Department for Transport statutory guidance to make decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) ‘fairer’ were unveiled this week.
The Government’s draft proposals for part six of the Traffic Management Act, launched for consultation, suggest recommending fines to reflect the severity of offences, making clamping the exception; and ensuring that charges ‘have a high level of public acceptability’.
The proposals follow recent strong criticism of the current application of DPE by the transport select committee, which found ‘inconsistent, poor and creaking administration, lack of drive for reform, poor communications, confusion, and a lack of accountability’ (Surveyor, 29 June).
The consultation looks at varying charges for motorists, an idea also being considered by the Association of London Government.
The DfT sees ‘some merit’ in having a two-tier fine system, whereby those making mistakes such as overstaying in a pay-and-display bay are distinguished from absolute contraventions, including parking on a double yellow line.
Maximum recommended penalty-charge notice levels outside London are a maximum of £60, and as low as £40, or just £20 if paid within 21 days – an extension on the current 14-day limit for a 50% reduction in the fine, designed to make the appeals system more ‘motorist-friendly’.
The consultation also recommends all authorities publish detailed information on their parking operations every year, in a bid to keep residents and the press on side. This should include the total income and expenditure, and ‘actions taken with respect to a surplus or a deficit’.
It also suggests the production of a ‘parking map’ to ensure that residents and visitors are not confused about when and where restrictions apply. Chief executive of the British Parking Association, Keith Banbury, welcomed the proposals.
He said: ‘Some of the practices included in the guidelines, such as restricting clamping, formalised training and greater transparency for local authorities, were recommended by the review of DPE we carried out, and we are pleased to see them in the proposals. ‘This underlines the industry’s drive to work, together with the Government, to ensure that parking enforcement is transparent and fair.’
Executive director of the RAC Foundation, Edmund King, said: ‘Over-zealous enforcement, confusing signs and lines, and the belief councils are using parking fines to raise revenue rather than keeping traffic moving are all issues motorists raise with us. We hope this guidance will lead to a fairer regime.’
After a period of public consultation, the proposals for the new system of civil parking enforcement will come into effect through regulations made under the TMA. The statutory guidance is expected to be published in mid-2007, at the same time as the accompanying regulations – covering clamping, approved enforcement devices, and the appeals process – are passed.